A Glasgow car owner yesterday became the first to have his vehicle clamped in the city for failing to pay a police antisocial behaviour fixed penalty ticket.
The man, who resides in the North Glasgow area, had been fined £60 for urinating in a city centre street. Other vehicles have been clamped in the area but this was the first for failing to pay a police antisocial behaviour fixed penalty ticket.
When the man failed to respond to warnings, his Mercedes car was clamped. He was required to pay the original fine plus additional costs to reclaim his vehicle.
If he had not paid up within 24 hours, the Scottish Court Service (SCS) would have uplifted the car and removed it to storage. There, further daily charges would have accrued. Ultimately the Court can sell or scrap unclaimed vehicles.
The SCS has a range of enforcement powers in place to collect outstanding fines which, as well as clamping cars, includes arresting wages, deducting benefits and freezing bank accounts.
"We will take decisive enforcement action if you fail to pay a fine including clamping, seizing and even selling or scrapping your car,” warns Interim SCS Executive Director Cliff Binning. “We pursue all unpaid fines, from road violations to court penalties.”
Fines collection rates remain strong and a report issued last month shows that 86% of the value of sheriff court fines imposed over a three year period from 2009/10 to 2012/13 has either been paid or is on track to be paid through instalments.
As of January this year, more than 433,300 enforcement orders have been granted and payments deducted directly from benefits have reached around £1.67 million.
For offenders in genuine need of assistance, the SCS can offer advice. In the three months up to January, officers revised terms for more than 11,800 people, helping them get their payments back on track.
“There is no excuse for offenders not to pay their fines,” says Mr Binning. “Payment can now be made online, by phone, by post or in person at any sheriff court or justice of the peace court, making it easier than ever.”
Online facilities allow most fines to be paid round the clock and during the last financial year, electronic payments reached £2.8 million.
Most fines can be paid on the secure website at pay a fine by completing five easy steps using a debit or credit card.
Only fines which involve the endorsement of a driving licence with penalty points cannot be paid electronically including some police traffic tickets and penalties issued by the Safety Camera Partnerships for speeding or running a red light. In these instances offenders can post their licence to: Scottish Court Service, Central Processing Unit, PO Box 23, Glasgow, G59 9DA or take it in person to any Scottish court.
NOTES:
• Fine defaulters are not named for data protection reasons.
• A copy of the most recent SCS Quarterly Fines Report is available at: http://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/about-the-scottish-court-service/reports-data.
• Many fines are paid by instalments over the course of two or more years which will affect collection rate figures.